298 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



hue of the forehead and the crown, &c, but its bill and tarsus 

 are longer, the former apparently more slender, and it appears to 

 be altogether a larger bird. Is it possible that it is the last-men- 

 tioned Hill-crow, C. intermedins ? 



Corvus sinensis, Gould, is nearly related to C. macrorhynclws ; 

 and C. pectoralis, Gould, also from China, is recorded in Horsfield's 

 Catalogue. C. enca, Horsfield, from Java, is a small, rather slender- 

 billed Crow. Adams states that he thinks he has observed C. 

 comix, or the Hooded Crow, in Ladakh, but he did not obtain 

 specimens. It has, however, been procured in Afghanistan, 



663. Corvus splendens, Vieillot. 



Temm., PI. Col. 425— Sykes, Cat. 118— Jerdon, Cat. 157— 

 Blyth, Cat, 451 — Horsf., Cat 842 — C. monedula indica, Buch. 

 Hamilton, MSS. — C. impudicus, Hodgson — C. dauricus, apud 

 Pearson — Koiva, Paii-kowa and Desi-kowa, H. in various districts. 

 Kag or Kak, Beng. — Manchi kaki, Tel. — Nalla kaka, Tarn. 



The Common Indian Crow. 



Descr. — Forehead, sinciput, and lores, glossy black ; occiput, 

 nape, hind neck, and sides of neck, purplish ashy ; back, wings, and 

 tail, black, with rich purple and steel-blue reflections ; chin, throat, 

 and sides of the neck, in part, black, with steel reflections ; breast 

 ashy, tinged dark ; middle of abdomen dull black, slightly tinged 

 with steel blue. 



Length varies from 15 to above 18 inches ; of one of the latter 

 dimensions the wing 11 j ; tail 7 ; bill at front 2§- ; tarsus If. 

 Of one 15 inches long, the wing was 10 ; tail 6^. The wings 

 reach to less than 2 inches from the end of the tail. Bill and 

 legs black ; irides deep brown. 



The common Crow of India is found from the foot of the 

 Himalayas to Ceylon, and eastwards in Assam and part of Arracan. 

 Adams states that it occurs in the Valley of Cashmere, and it 

 is found in Nepal, but it does not extend into the interior of the 

 hills, and is at present quite unknown in Sikhim. It is one of 

 the best known and familiar birds in India, being found in vast 

 numbers in every city, town, village, and cantonment or camp ; 

 and the scientific traveller in India often regrets that such an 



